Justification
by TheTrainTicket
Summary: She oddly found herself feeling disappointed. She disagreed with Amon, and completely felt that he was starting an unneeded war – but he still had proven himself to be a clever guy. He could bring in a crowd like no other.


**Justification**

Kids ran past her as she trudged her way through the alley, pulling up the collar of her coat while walking. The parents weren't far behind, and she was doing her best not to be recognized. But no one was paying attention to her.

This seemed like such a peaceful place, Republic City. Even the slum areas didn't seem all too dangerous. But of course, everything had changed. A new threat had risen, one more terrifying than anything these citizens had seen before. That threat was the reason she was now wandering through the streets at night.

_Amon. _

Korra ducked behind a dumpster, swearing that she heard something. She peered around, ensuring that the coast was clear before stepping back out.

_Why am I doing this?_ She asked herself the millionth time that evening.

"_You need to know the truth." He had said on the island. "I can help you to understand."_

_I'm walking right into a trap, I know it. _She thought. _But then… why am I going? He had me cornered back there… but he let me go. If he _really_ was going to just finish me off, he had the chance to do it. So maybe…_

She knew why she was going, of course.

The fear.

It had driven her into submission, avoiding any action, simply coiling up in a little ball. Then, suddenly, she snapped. She was the Avatar, dammit all! She wasn't scared of _anything!_

Oh, how it had backfired, though…

But no. She wasn't going to run away again. She wouldn't be afraid. Trap or not, she would face off Amon once and for all.

Korra stopped walking.

"Umm… where am I?"

"The slums of Republic City."

Her heart jumped as she spun around, her arms instinctively going in front of her. A man stood behind her. She didn't recognize his face, but immediately knew who he was.

Amon was leaning against the side of a building. After a few moments of Korra not moving from her stance, however, he stood up and walked over. She kept her ground, raising her arms up higher.

"Do you really want to start a scene here?" He asked. "You were so easy to take down last time…"

Her jaw set, trying to hide the fact that his words stung. Hesitantly, she put her arms to her sides.

"That's better."

Korra looked up at the man, attempting to keep her expression blank. Yet something… didn't feel quite right.

"You have no scar…" She observed.

Amon smiled slightly, bringing a hand up to his face. "No, it would seem I don't…"

"So what was with that story about a fire-bender attacking you?"

He continued to grin. "It's just a little something to draw in the crowd. People grow sympathetic when there's a common enemy. And fire-benders are such easy targets."

His smile faded and he stepped passed her.

"But enough about that… come, there's something for you to see."

"How am I supposed to trust you?" She demanded. "You lied to your own supporters!"

"Yes, but I told _you_ the truth."

Korra blinked. "If it's a fight you want, then just – "

"I already told you. Our battle is premature. However…" He walked back towards her, and she suddenly became aware of just how much larger he was than her. Even without the mask… he was still terrifying. "Keep up this attitude, and I'll show you one or two more secrets I have…"

She gulped, unsure of how to take that comment. But she eased up, nodded, and let him lead the way. Korra kept her gaze on her feet, not wanting to know if he was looking at her. That didn't stop her from taking a paranoid glance up here and there, however.

She was just starting to breathe comfortably when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Korra gasped, quickly biting her lip, hoping he hadn't heard.

_What the hell, though? _

Was he_ trying_ to make her uneasy? Maybe… although they _were_ in disguised… well, he was without his disguise, but… they were trying to fit in. Be normal. Maybe he wanted to keep his eye on her, ensure that she wouldn't act up. Or maybe he figured they'd look more casual.

_Yes, because nothing was more casual than walking around town with your sworn enemy._

Finally, they entered a pub and Korra started to relax again – at least now she wasn't alone with Amon. She froze a little, contemplating stepping out of his grip, but fortunately, he let go of her anyway.

"Stay close." he whispered before walking off.

Korra was starting to get a bit annoyed. Sure, she had made a few mistakes since being here, but she didn't need to be handled like a child.

Amon sat down near the back; she was quick to join him, but wavered in choosing a seat. She could either sit next to him, which would involve being close… or across, which would involve looking at him. Korra decided to sit across and inspect her fingernails for however long he was planning on keeping them here.

A waitress came by.

"Can I get anything for you two?"

"We haven't decided yet." Amon stated, not even looking at the menu. The waitress shrugged and walked off.

"Yeah, sure…" Korra mumbled. "I wasn't hungry or anything…"

"It's 2 AM, why would you be?"

Back to her fingernails.

"So. Mind telling why you brought me here? It obviously wasn't to buy dinner…"

"Shh…" Amon tilted his head back, gesturing towards a couple of thugs in the corner. One was bending the flame on the candle, until his friend bent his drink over it, putting the fire out. This sent the two of them into laughter.

Korra raised an eyebrow.

Was Amon trying to convince her the "evils of bending" with a few punks? Tahno and crew were out of line, true, and she wouldn't deny there were benders out there who abused their power – but this was just petty.

She oddly found herself feeling disappointed. She disagreed with Amon, and completely felt that he was starting an unneeded war – but he still had proven himself to be a clever guy. He could bring in a crowd like no other.

Yet here they were… and this was his way of persuading her? Was he really_ this _pathetic? Or was she so biased towards bending that she simply could not see…

"…the Avatar…?"

Her ears perked up.

"She's pretty hot, eh?"

"I could think of a couple bending moves for her…"

Korra pulled up her scarf, half to maintain the disguise, and half to hide her blushing.

"Ya ever hook up with that chick from the tea shop?"

"She said she wasn't interested…"

"Pft – that bites, man, maybe – "

"I said, she wasn't interested. I never said I didn't hook up with her."

Korra felt a tension in her back. She didn't like where this conversation was going; she closed her eyes and tried to hear a little better.

"Non-benders are too easy, man… she was all 'no please, don't!' Wavin' her arms around like she was tryin' to fire-bend or some crap like that!"

The two started laughing again.

Korra felt sick.

"Where's the bathroom?" She whispered, pushing her seat back slightly.

"Oh, no…" Amon replied, placing a hand firmly on her wrists. She tried to wriggle out, but his grip was too strong. "Just keep listening…"

"And then," the thug went on. "She was all 'I'm gonna tell the cops!' Pfft, damn authorities never listen to nons. Little bitch should know that by now."

"People are stupid, man… people are stupid… like, remember that little guy who owed me money?"

"Oh yeah, he ever get that surgery for his face?"

"I dunno, man, I think he ditched town. But anyway, anyway, I gotta tell ya this – so this dumbass _actually brought_ the cops down to my place."

"Oh, damn…"

"I know, right? This little punk honestly thought a bunch of earth-benders were gonna take his side!"

_This can't be real…_ Korra told herself. _Amon's paying them – or threatening them to say this…_

"This is low, even for you!" She hissed.

"You think they're the only ones?" He inquired. "Look around. Every bender in here's got a story. Those two stop by every week or so with a new one."

"I don't believe you. I don't know what you did to get these people here, but I'm not buying it."

"Oh? So every bender is just… _perfect._ You've never met a criminal before who abused their abilities?"

"I never said that, I just – "

"Face it. Even if this is all a façade – which I can promise you, it isn't – benders like this _do_ exist. All over the world. And you know that."

"That doesn't make what you're doing right. With or without bending… things like this… will always happen…" She could feel herself shaking as she spoke.

The doors flung open, grabbing the attention of everyone in the pub. A squeaky, little man stood there. He looked terrified – but angry. He took a deep breath before stepping inside, peering around mildly, trying not to act intimidated.

"Non-benders aren't even seen as human," Amon replied, taking her thoughts away from the man who just walked in. "It's not about stopping every nasty deed done in the world – it's about equality. It's about taking away the advantage benders have against non-benders. Giving ourselves a fighting chance. Just like every other equal rights movement in the past… it's all a matter of changing perspective."

The little man walked right by them, bumping into Korra's shoulder.

"Sorry…" he muttered. He didn't look back, but kept his gaze on the punks she had been eavesdropping on.

The water-bender took a sip from his drink, while the fire-bender continually flicked the candle on and off.

"Can I help you?"

"_You despicable, loathsome creature_!" The man shouted.

"I've been called worse…"

"How _dare_ you violate my sister! How can you live with yourself?

"How can I live with myself, hmm, hmm, hmmmm…" he tilted his drink to his chin. "Oh, I know, like this!"

He bent the water to the man's eyes, freezing it in place, causing him to shriek in surprise and pain. The bender and his friend howled with laughter.

Korra stood up abruptly. Blood was boiling through her veins.

"If you help him, you'd only be proving my point…" Amon whispered with a sly smile.

Her fists shook as she continued to stare at the scene before her. She couldn't just stand there and let this harassment continue. But could she really let Amon win that easily? He was after all of Republic City – the world, even. She was the Avatar, his enemy.

This one man, or the world…

Slowly, she sat back down.

Driven into submission by Amon. Again.

The man rubbed the ice out of his eyes. He turned back to the thugs.

"You freaks think you can get away with this!"

"Dude, what are you going to do? What authority figure is going to take your side?"

He leaned in. "If they don't do anything… I will."

The two laughed again. Korra flinched at the sound.

Amon was just sitting there, calmly. This was all part of the act, after all – it didn't matter if this was real or not, it was the same scene over and over. The benders taking advantage of the non-benders. Every. Single. Day. Since the beginning of time.

"He's gonna do something about it!" One of the thugs cackled. "Did you hear that?"

"I heard him!"

Why was no one else taking charge? Korra was forced to sit down, but there surely had to be _some_ other bender in this place willing to stand up. Maybe not even a bender… just… _someone _had to do something!

She looked around – her heart sank at what she saw. Everyone in the pub was watching. And almost everyone was smiling. There were a few shaking their heads; they simply walked out of the room or went back to their drinks.

Korra sighed, bringing her gaze back down to her fingernails.

"No one's… going to help him, are they?" She whispered.

"No one ever does."

Lights flashed and there was a scream. Her head shot up.

The man was wailing on the floor; the fire-bender had gotten to him. He and his friend proceeded to laugh inhumanly as they had all evening.

And that was the final straw. Korra ran over to the man, helping him onto his feet.

"Hey, lookie here – little boy's got a girlfriend!"

"Sweetie, you got better men to bang than this loser."

She gritted her teeth, too angry to think of a comeback. She let the man lean against her shoulders and walked him to the bathroom, the thugs laughing the entire time.

Everyone else was just watching.

"I am so sorry…" she said as they walked over to the sink. The man immediately turned on the cold water, applying some to his face before responding.

"It's alright… guess I shouldn't have expected anything different… stupid little non-bender like me." He groaned in pain, cursing as the water touched his skin.

Korra felt as though she was about to be sick, but managed to keep her footing.

"Here…" she said, putting her hands in the water. "Let me help…"

She bent it up around her fingers and pressed them against his face. She breathed deeply as her healing abilities kicked in and his wound faded.

"Thank you…" He said, inspected himself in the mirror. "I know not all benders are creeps like those two… but, it just gets so frustrating when… wait…" he took a better look at Korra. "I recognize you… you were in the papers. You're the Avatar!"

She blushed, upset that her identity had been revealed.

"What are you doing in a place like this?"

"I – it's a long story…"

The man leaned in. "Avatar… you're the representation of peace between all forms of life. You can't let this go on."

"I know…"

He sighed. "I'm not on Amon's side, just so you know. I don't want a war, and I don't want benders' to have their abilities taken away. That's not equality. That's doing to the benders what they've always done to us… no offense…"

She smiled nervously, desperately wanting to leave. But it was obvious he had had these things on his mind for a very long time.

"I just want…" he went on. "To be seen as human."

The tears started to pour.

"I'm so sorry…" she burst out the door, covering her mouth.

Amon had been waiting, and for once she was glad to see him. He wrapped his arm around her again, almost protectively, and led the two of them out of the pub.

They broke apart outside, Korra ran straight behind a dumpster and threw up. Amon waited patiently for her, she came back out utterly embarrassed, but he showed no emotion one way or the other.

"He… he even said he wasn't on your side." She told him. "Even he thinks you're wrong."

"But did he think what happened to him or his sister was fair?"

"No, but – "

"And what did he propose to _do _about it?"

Korra had to blink back her tears. He still showed no emotion. Instead, he started to walk off. She followed him.

"There was a family once…" he started. "A husband and wife… and their little boy. Non-benders. Minding their own business. A group of fire-benders came along, running from the scene of a crime. The family had done nothing, they were just in the way. The husband tried to stop them, the mother tried to protect her son… but it was all in vein. They were taken out."

"Things like that… happen, I guess…" Korra could barely hear herself, but she was certain he wasn't listening anyway.

"I could've stopped them. I could've done something," he continued. "But I did nothing. I just watched. I realized at that moment… never again."

She looked up at him. He wasn't crying, but there was a deep sorrow in his face, and she knew this had been his biggest regret. The fear she had for him was drifting away, now that she knew she wasn't the only one who could be driven into submission.

For the first time, she simply saw him as a man.

"As the Avatar, you of all people should understand the importance of protecting the weak and bringing balance to the world…" he stated, his usual tone returning. "But you know nothing."

He walked away, and she didn't follow.


End file.
